Bharat Bandh: No Politician To Be Allowed On Stage

As the farmer agitation entered its twelfth day, their representatives reiterated on Monday that the ‘Bharat Bandh’ scheduled for December 8 will be observed the whole day while ‘chakka jam’ (road blockade) would only be till 3 pm, adding that no political leaders will be allowed on the stage.

While addressing a press conference at the Delhi-Haryana Singhu border, farmer leader Dr Darshan Pal said, “The bandh will be observed the whole day tomorrow. Chakka jam till 3 PM. It will be a peaceful bandh.”

Pal reaffirmed that the protestors are “firm on not allowing any political leaders on the stage”.

Earlier, the opposition parties, including People’s Alliance for Gupkar Declaration (PAGD), Communist Party of India (Marxist), Communist Party of India, Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist), Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP), Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD), Samajwadi Party (SP), All India Forward Bloc (AIFB), National Congress Party (NCP) and Congress party, have extended their support for December 8 ‘Bharat Bandh’ call by farmers who are protesting against the farm laws.

Another farmer leader Nirbhay Singh Dhudike speaking at the press conference emphasised on how “peacefully” protest is being conducted while acknowledging the support they have garnered from all over.

“Our protest is not limited to Punjab. Even leaders from across the globe, like [Justin] Trudeau from Canada, are supporting us. Ours is a peaceful protest,” Dhudike told the reporters here.

The next round of talks between the Centre and farmers’ representatives will take place on December 9.

Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, during the fifth round of meeting with the farmers’ representatives on Saturday, had said that Agricultural Produce Market Committees will not be weakened and minimum support price will continue as he urged the farmer unions to give up their agitation and get their grievances addressed through talks.

The fifth round of talks was held with the representatives of 40 farmer unions held at Vigyan Bhawan in Delhi on Saturday.

Thousands of farmers have been protesting on different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws–Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020, the Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act, 2020, and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020. (ANI)